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[Use of toys in hospitals: what are Brazilian nurses studying?]
Tânia Maria Coelho Leite1, Antonieta Keiko Kakuda Shimo
1Depto. de Enfermagem da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil. tania@fcm.unicamp.br
Insights
Play therapy using toys significantly benefits hospitalized children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Child Psychology
- Play Therapy
Context:
- Emotional well-being of hospitalized children is a growing concern in Brazil.
- Play is recognized as a crucial coping mechanism for children experiencing distress.
- Limited research exists on Brazilian nurses' academic output regarding play in pediatric care.
Purpose:
- To analyze Brazilian nurses' academic production on toy utilization for hospitalized children.
- To review theses and dissertations from strictu sensu Graduate programs in Brazil.
- To identify trends and findings related to play therapy in pediatric nursing.
Summary:
- A review of 14 theses/dissertations revealed that toys are primarily used by nursing professors and students.
- Toys are most frequently employed in pre- and post-operative care for preschool and school-aged children.
- All analyzed studies consistently reported positive outcomes associated with the use of toys.
Impact:
- Highlights the positive impact of play therapy on hospitalized children's emotional state.
- Recommends the integration of toys into routine pediatric nursing care.
- Informs future research and practice in pediatric nursing in Brazil.
Abstract:
Care for the emotional needs of hospitalized children has had the attention of nursing professionals in Brazil, although not as a general rule. The chance to play is known as a relief from suffering, especially in childhood, which justifies the importance of this theme. This study had the objective of analyzing Brazilian nurses' academic production on the use of toys during the attention to children in hospitals in strictu sensu Graduate programs. Data were taken from Portal CAPES, CEPEn, IBICT and papers' references. Of the 15 theses/dissertations found in the literature only 14 are available; they were analyzed and comprise the corpus of this study. It was found that toys have been used mostly in pre and postsurgery, by Nursing professors, with preschool and school age children, parents and nurses. All of the works reinforce the positive results of toys' use. We recommend to pediatric nurses the use of toys in all institutions where children need care.
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